ASTRID-BERGÈS FRISBEY CRASH 54

By Crash redaction

AT TWENTY-FOUR, SHE’S ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING FRENCH ACTRESSES. BETWEEN BLOCKBUSTERS AND INDEPENDENT FILMS, SHE’S BUILDING A BRIGHT INTERNATIONAL CAREER WITH HER ROLE AS A MERMAID ALONGSIDE JOHNNY DEPP IN THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN. IN APRIL, WE’LL SEE HER AS LA FILLE DU PUISATIER, THE FIRST FEATURE FILM DIRECTED BY DANIEL AUTEUIL. RADICALLY INDEPENDENT AND DRIVEN IN HER CHOICE OF ROLES, ASTRID EAGERLY PURSUES AN ENGAGING ACTING CAREER.

Did your Catalan and French-American origins have any major impact on your life?

I didn’t have any contact with my American origins for many years, however the part of my education spent in Spain was very important. Even though I left Spain very young—when I was five—I always returned during school vacations. And indeed the first major film role I received was the part of a girl from a family of Catalan immigrants in France during the war; it was really interesting for me. What I know for sure is that I was immersed in a mix of cultures, between France and Spain, the city and the country… So my choices are largely influenced by that aspect; for example, I’d really like to act in Spanish movies, which I began to do last year by shooting a film that will be released this Christmas in Spain. And I hope to do it again soon.

How did you get your start as an actress?

I spent a lot of my childhood in the Charente-Maritime department of France; I did a lot of theater when I was in grade school and high school, which always made me feel extraordinarily good. Though some people I knew encouraged me to make a career out of acting, it was always out of the question for me, since I didn’t think acting was a real job. Above all I was looking for something stable; and since I didn’t grow up in an artistic milieu, acting professionally was simply unimaginable. More scientific than literary, I wanted to become an osteopath. I left home at seventeen and finished high school in Paris; it was a tough year for me because I lost my father, which totally changed everything in my life. I suddenly realized that I had to just listen to myself to find out what I really wanted in life. It took me a while to seriously consider the possibility, but as soon as I decided to become an actress, I devoted myself body and soul to my decision. So I signed up for a class and then had the chance to break into the film world; it’s not an easy thing to do when you have absolutely no connections. Hard work and luck helped me out: when I was looking for my first role at twenty, I looked a lot younger, which helped me try out at a lot more castings. For sixteen- and seventeen-year-old characters, there aren’t many actors with a lot of experience, so directors are more inclined to work with beginners.

You’re playing one of the protagonists in Daniel Auteuil’s first feature-length, La fille du puisatier (The Well-Digger’s Daughter)…

Yes, we shot the movie last spring, and it’s scheduled for release in April 2011. It’s probably one of my favorite film memories. Daniel Auteuil is incredible, extremely generous, passionate, and unpretentious… It was magical to see just how dedicated everyone on set was to his project. He signed fantastic technicians with whom he had a lot of experience as an actor, and they were all ready to listen to him – a very important element in filmmaking. Furthermore, while always remaining on top of every situation and carefully planning each detail, he still placed an enormous trust in all of us. It was my first time working with him, and it meant a lot to me that I was picked to do the film. It was also really great to see him directing his own film; the first ten days of filming were filled with a lot of stress, since certain things like the scenes shot outside were quite difficult, but afterwards he was on cloud nine: the happiest man alive! Despite all his preparation—he had picked locations and prepared the film in advance—a moment came when he just let go and changed everything. It was a real delight to see him like that, as happy as if it were his first role… I don’t think he’ll be able to give up directing now!

Which character do you play?

I play the daughter of Daniel Auteuil’s character, the well-digger; she falls in love with a boy from a rich family, the complete opposite of her own family. He’s a pilot and has to leave for the war. Before shooting, I was already really interested in Marcel Pagnol; I knew almost all of his plays and had seen a few performances. Though I’ve never seen a performance of La fille du puisatier; I’d certainly love to see it when the film comes out. But I did read the book. It’s funny because for one of the scenes I worked on in drama class I had the part of Patricia, which I played in the film, but at the time I was only going through another actor’s lines with them. I can never hold back my tears whenever I read the script or play; what I love most is how Pagnol strikes you to the heart in a simple, natural way.

How did filming with the other actors go?

Tremendously well; Daniel Auteuil picked people with whom he had already worked, only the actresses playing the roles of his daughters had to try out. Sabine Azéma, who played the role of the aviator’s mother, and Jean-Pierre Darroussin, her husband, were incredible. For me, Daniel constantly brought tears to my eyes, it was terrible; I remember certain scenes in which I wasn’t supposed to cry, so I held back until I heard cut! and went to cry while we changed the set. The filming was full of unforgettable moments with everyone involved.

Then you immediately began filming Pirates of the Caribbean 4…

Yes, I only had one day’s break between the two. I finished La fille du puisatier on a Friday evening, celebrated with the whole team, took the train the next day to go back to Paris, then I left Sunday morning for twelve hours of jet lag! I’m playing a mermaid in the movie. It was filmed in Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Juan, and London. Everything’s going really well: I always felt at home on set, even in my first films. Everyone I work with asks me: so what do your parents do? I tell them that my mother works in retail and that I had absolutely no background in film, which really surprises them.

And what about your Spanish film?

I think it will come out in the first half of 2011 in France. I play a Spanish girl; the movie will be in Catalan and French and takes place during Napoleon’s first defeat in Spain. It’s an entertaining film that depicts a chase through the Montserrat Mountains near Barcelona, which are absolutely magnificent. I saw them a lot when passing by as a child, and always found them quite thought-provoking. Other French actors are also in the film, like Vincent Perez, Nicolas Giraud, Moussa Maaskri Justin Blanckaert, and Jérôme Le Banner.

You took part in French Connection’s ad campaign; what’s your relationship to fashion?

I like dressing nicely from time to time. My mother worked at Chanel for a long time, and I remember the shoes and all those boxes… She still works in retail. I like fashion, but I grew up in the country, so I mostly pick clothes for comfort. I’ll always refuse to be cold just because one jacket or another looks good. I don’t follow fashion everyday, though for special occasions I really like picking an outfit that’s fashionable and in my style. Sometimes I can be very masculine, and other times super feminine… But fashion isn’t of vital necessity for me.

What designers do you most for official events?

I love wearing Chanel: maybe because I grew up with the brand, and it’s an incredible company that makes clothes I really like for these kinds of events. Karl Lagerfeld always does wonderful work every season. I also like Chloé and other brands, too. It depends on the day and how I’m feeling.

What do you do when you’re not on set?

I like to go to the theater. I’ve already acted on stage, and it’s really exhilarating; I’m really hoping to have the chance to act on stage again soon. I also like photography, and, while I don’t take a lot of photos myself, I often go to exhibitions to admire the work. Unfortunately I don’t read very much, since I didn’t grow up with books; one of my best friends, another actress, earned a Masters in philosophy, which I really respect! For me, I had to devote myself entirely to my career, maybe that’s how I got where I am. It demands a lot of time: though I won’t be on set in the next few months, I’ll have to represent three films all coming out at the same time. I also spend a lot of time trying to make the right decisions for the future. At the moment I’m really interested in a French film project, but I can’t really say anything about it since we’re still waiting for budget confirmation. I think it will be made though… The next features I’ll work on after Pirates of the Caribbean will be independent films with small budgets. I want to pick roles I can be proud of; more than just a career, my roles represent my convictions. I hate the idea of trying out for a film I don’t like, and I’d rather not work at all. That’s what happened between Bruc, my Spanish film, and La fille du puisatier: I didn’t film anything for eight months. But it doesn’t scare me. For now, I’m looking for movies with ideas similar to my own; above all I want to thoughtfully pursue an engaged form of acting.